Fuel atomizer for internal-combustion engines



June 3, 1947. E. J. SANDERS ET AL 8 FUEL ATOMIZER FOR INTERNAL -COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 12, 1945 INVENTORS' 221mm ,1 SANDERS By L0? LZ'JFJNEYYZ'LL Patented June 3, 1947 FUEL ATOMIZER FOR INTERNAL-COM- BUSTION ENGINES Elmore J. Sanders, San Gabriel, Calif., and Loy Leflingwell, Toledo, Ohio Application July 12, 1945, Serial No. 604,644

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to internal combustion engines but more particularly to a liquid fuel atomizing device for increasing the efficiency of such engines in order more thoroughly to atomize or vaporize the liquid fuel passing from the carburetor to the engine cylinders.

Not infrequently, in internal combustion engines difliculty is experienced in efliciently mixing the gasoline in atomized or vaporized form with the air so that as a result, incomplete and improper mixtures result. One important reason for such inefficient engine operation is due to the fact that liquid gasoline collects on the walls of the pipe leading from the carburetor to the engine cylinders and flows along such wall in liquid form instead of being atomized or vaporized along with the remainder of the fuel mixture.

An object of this invention is to produce a new and improved device which will satisfactorily collect such liquid gasoline and reintroduce it into the air stream in atomized or vaporized form, thereby to provide a mixture for mor efficient combustion within the engine cylinders.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a schematic view-showing a carburetor of the down-draft type and also showing in section a conduit leading downwardly therefrom and in which the atomizing device is mounted, the latter being shown in vertical sectional elevation;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the atomizing or vaporizing device;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the atomizing or vaporizing device; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation partly in section of the atomizing or vaporizing device.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a carburetor C of the down-draft type from which extends downwardly a conduit or tube I0 in which is disposed the usual butterfly control valve ll, the conduit I8 being in this instance in two parts, each having outwardly extending flanges l2 and I2a suitably secured together by bolt and nut assemblies l3. The conduit l0 leads to the usual engine manifold (not shown). Clamped between the two conduit flanges l2 and l2a is a vaporizer or atomizer @16- Vice generally indicated at V.

The device V is formed from a single piece of sheet material such, for example, as sheet metal and is formed with an inner wall l4 and an outer wall IS, the latter having an outwardly extending flange l6 adapted to be disposed between the conduit flanges l2 and lie and securely clamped therebetween. It will be manifest that the device V is in the form of a unitary one-piece annulus and the inner wall l4 thereof is gradually curved from top to bottom in an inward direction to form a Venturi passage, the upper edge ll being outwardly flared and extending above the upper edge of the outer wall l5. As indicated on Figure 1, there is substantial space between the free edge of the flared 'portion I1 and the adjacent inside wall of the conduit Ill. The lower end of the inner wall is integrally joined to the lower end of the outer wall by a curved bottom wall portion l8. It will be manifest that the walls [4 and 15 are spaced from each other to provide a single collecting ch'amber of substantial size so that any liquid fuel flowing down the inside walls of the conduit ID will pass into the collecting chamber indicated at H.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of an annular series of holes I9 in the inside wall l4. These holes are arranged a substantial distance from the upper and lower ends of the wall l4 and in the region of the greatest suction created by the Venturi action. Prefv erably the top edges of the holes 19 are disposed below the smallest inside diameter of the Venturi passage, but above the bottom of the chamber H so that adequate space is afforded for collection of the liquid fuel throughout the operating range of the engine.

In operation, it will be understood that the liquid flowing down the inside of the conduit l0 passes into the collecting chamber H and the suction created by the stream of air passing through the Venturi passage creates a suction in the region of the holes l9, thereby to atomize and also to some extent vaporize the liquid fuel in the chamber H. In addition, the stream of air impinging upon the top of the liquid within the chamber H, assists in the atomizing and vaporizing action.

Numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A fuel atomizer for internal combustion engines comprising an annulus of sheet material having spaced inner and outer walls, th inner wall having the upper end free from the outer wall and flared outwardly toward the outer wall, said inner wall being curved substantiall throughout to provide a Venturi passage therethrough, the lower ends of said wall being fixedly joined to provide a single fuel collecting chamber of substantial size therebetween, said inner wall having an annular row of apertures spacedsubstantially midway of the upper and lower edges thereof and in the region of greatest suction, and an attaching flange on the upper edge of the outer wall.

2. A fuel atomizer for internal combustion engines as claimed in claim 1, in which the top edges of the holes are disposed below the smallest inside diameter of the inner wall but in spaced relation from the bottom of the collecting chamber to afford a liquid fuel reservoir throughout the operating range of the engine.

3. A fuel atomizer for internal combustion engines comprising spaced inner and outer concentric shellssubstantially vertically disposed within the intake manifold, the innershell being concavo-convex to define a Venturi passage having its throat intermediate of the upper and lower edge of said shell, the upper end portion of said inner shell being flared outwardly, the lower edges of said inner and outer shells being integrally connected by a curvilinear wall to provide a single liquid fuel collecting chamber therebetween, a flange extending outwardly from said outer shell for manifold attachment purposes, and an annular row of apertures positioned below the Venturi throat of said inner shell but spaced distance from the lower edge thereof.

v4. A fuel atomizer for internal combustion engines comprising spaced inner and outer annular shells substantially vertically disposed Within the intake manifold, said inner shell being concavoconvex to define a Venturi passage having its throat intermediate of the upper and lower edges, a curvilinear wall integrally forming the lower edges of said inner and outer shells to provide a fuel collecting chamber, a flang integral with the upper edge of said outer shell for manifold attachment purposes, the upper end portion of said inner shell being flared outwardly to enhance the circulation and recirculation of air in said chamber aiding fuel atomization andlvaporization,,and an annula row of apertures in said inner shell in the region below the Venturi throat connecting, the fuelcollecting chamber with the Venturipassage.

5. A fuel atomizer for internal combustion engines comprising spaced inner and outer annular shells substantially vertically disposed within the intake manifold, said outer shell being shorter than the inner shell, said inner shell being concavo-convex to provide a Venturi passage having its throat intermediate of the upper and lower edges, the lower ends of said shells being fixedly joined to providea single fuel collecting chamber, a flange extending outwardly from the upper edge of said outer shorter shell for manifold attachment purposes, a curvilinear flange extending outwardly from the upper edge of said innershell to enhance air circulation within said fuel collecting chamber, and an annular row of apertures in said inner shell in the region immediately below the Venturi throat thereby to create a suction in said fuel collecting chamber enhancing air circulation and the atomization and vaporization of the liquid fuel collected therein as well as enabling the free flow of vapor laden air from said chamber into said passage. 9 6. A fuel atomizer. for internal combustion engines comprising spaced inner and outer concentric shells substantially vertically disposed within the intake manifold, the inner shell being concave-convex to define a Venturi passage having its throat intermediate of the upper andlower edges of said shell, the upper end portion of said inner shell being flared outwardly, the lower edges of inner and outer shells being integrally connected by a curvilinear wall to provide a single liquid fuel collecting chamber therebetween, a flange extending outwardly. from said outer shell for manifold attachment purposes, and an annular row of apertures positioned below the Venturi throat of said inner .shell and substantially Inidway between the upper and lower edges there- 0 ELMORE J. SANDERS. LOY LEFFINGWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Secor l Dec. 16, 1930 

